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In fact, it came to be in those days that a decree came out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This first registration came to be when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also moved up out of Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he himself was of the house and family of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. In fact, while they were there, it came to be that the day was fulfilled for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and set him at rest in a feeding-trough, because there was no place for them in the guest room. (Luke’s AD 60 research report re Jesus: Chapter 2: 1-21) |
The event reported above took place immediately before AD 0. Luke’s reference to “those days” links this event with the presentation in the Jerusalem Temple of the infant called John, born miraculously to a relative of “Mary”.
It was the “decree from Caesar Augustus” which caused Jesus to be born in “Bethlehem”, the birthplace of King “David” (circa 1000 BC), the regal and godly ancestor of “Joseph”. A coincidence?
How low can you get? A stable? Instead of a cot, a “feeding-trough”? The Greek word used by Luke was phatne a word derived from the verb “to eat”. Same as the French verb “manger” meaning “to eat”.
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| And shepherds were in their same region living outside, guarding - in the night prison - their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood over them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were fearing great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not! Look and see! Because I announce good to you - great joy which will be to all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and set in place in a feeding-trough.” And suddenly there came to be, with the angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and declaring, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace in human beings of delight.”
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“Unto you is born… a Saviour…” That is, born to the shepherds (uncared-for and disfavoured as they were) and to “to all the people…” Not just to Mary. How would these “shepherds” be able to identify this particular baby? The “swaddling clothes” and “set in place in a feeding-trough”.
It came to be, when the angels came away from them into the sky, the shepherds spoke to one another, “We may indeed come through to Bethlehem and we may see this message which has come to be, which the Lord made known to us.” And they went with haste and found out both Mary and Joseph, and the baby set in place in the feeding-trough. In fact, seeing, they made known the message which had been spoken to them about this infant. And all who heard it marvelled concerning what was spoken under the shepherds for them.
It dawned on “the shepherds” that this child was born to them and for them. They had the right – from “this message which has come to be, which the Lord made known to us” – to go and see. They looked for a new-born baby, stated to be “set in place in a feeding-trough”. So, they went and searched. And found.
And there they repeated the “message” that “the Lord” “made known” to them through angels that “the baby set in place in the feeding-trough” is “born” to us and to “all the people” “a Saviour, Christ the Lord”.
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But Mary was treasuring up all these messages, engaging with them in her heart.
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God over all they heard and saw, as it had been spoken to them. And, when eight days were fulfilled, he himself was circumcised and he was called Jesus, the name he was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
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| The meaning of the name “Jesus”? From the Greek jesous it translates the Hebrew yahowshuwa. It means “the Lord saves”. What’s that got to do with the “feeding-trough”? Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”
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